Game



Feb. 9 1926.

I J. R. TORNEIS GAME Filed April 17 1925 Patented Feb. 9, 1926.

ounce srarcs JOAQUIN It. Tonnes, or ADA, onto.

GAME.

Application filed April 17, 1925.

To all whom it may 0071067771.

Be it known that l, JOAQUIN R. Tonnes, a citizen Cuba, residing at Ada, in the eounty of Hardin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improveinents in Games, of whiclrthe following is a specification. I 7

This inventionrelates to improved games of the type including a board which is inarlfed ina novel manner for providing; a playliig' field, together with playing pieces the participants, which pieces must be moved in accordance with the rules of play.

Briefly described, the improved ofame comprises aboard or its equivalent, which is divided into aplnrality of marginal areas including starting stations from which the movements of play begin, there being agoal at the center of the board into which each participant must move his playing pieces in order to become the winner.

Between the areas includinc; the stations and the goals at center, is ,a tortuous path that must be followed by the various pieces, 1n order to gain access'to the field forming the goal.

The feature of the invention is the novel path that is disposed between the goal and the starting area, and inasmuch as this path embodies several structural details and features, a description of the same will not now he given. but will he made apparent from the drawings and the following description.

. the accompanying drawing:

ihrgure 1 is top plan view of a game board constructed in accordance with the innt on Figure 2 is a perspective view of the tumbler or cup showing a pa f i -us in playing the game.

Referring to the drawings in detail, it

"will be seen that the structure set forth,

which is rectangular in top p 1. is divided into a plurality of individu l "areas 1, in which the playing pieces 2 are placed, at the beginning of the game. Of course, these areas may wellbe oi any suitable configuration. On a board of the kind shown, the particular shape represented is desirable tor ornamental purposes. At the reduced center of each area, will be found a passageway eadi g t a sta ng station a. At the center of the board ,}-is a colored disc 5, surrounded by a heavy ring. "l hisisfknown as by fleet is seal-w ich hi .1911? Partic p nts Serial No. 23,885

board of the kind shown there will be four of the starting areas l ysurrounding; the single goal. Under this arrangement. an approximate annular band is formed between the starting areas and the goal and this band is divided, in a unique way, to provide a tortuous path requiring; a skillful player to .raverse it, and to enter the ring forming the goal. lV'hile this annular band could be constructed otherwise, it is my idea to provide a plurality of separate annular pathso, the paths gradually decreasingin diameter radially from the outer periphery of the band toward the goal. Each path is mainly made'np of circular spaces 7. It will be noted that these spaces 7 are in close proximity so that the playingpieces may be moved in a step-by-step manner from one to the other. The path. however, is not only made up of spaces of this sort. but it includes black dots 8 of a diameter equal to the circular spaces. The e dots serve annrp se to be "hereinafter more fu ly described.

Furthermore, in each path will be found an Q oblong block 9. to be known as, a safety block. Inasmuch as it is the object of play to move inwardly tromthe outermost path to the next path and so on, means must be provided for permitting); jumps to be made from one path to the'next path. I accomplish this by what is known as bridges 10, these being located at circumferentially spaced points. It happens that the various bric are disposed lines radiating from the of the goal. This has been found to be a systematic point of placement for the particular bridges. Moreover, it adds symmetry of appearance to the ornate design of the board. So, it will be seen that each and every path embodies a plurality of black dots, to be avoided, safety blocks to he ought, and interconnecting circular spaces. Arranged between the innermost annular path and the goal 5 are circumterentially spaced sectors lfl provided with entrances 12, having enlarged portions 13 located in the innermost path. It will be observed further that an advantageous color scheme has been embodied in the make up of the prairie. For instance, each starting area -1 is ota distinct color. Accordingly, the playinp; pieces to be placed in that area must be of a corresponding color. The safety blocks are all of the same colors, but of a color distinctly different from the starting areas. The d ts' S are-blackg'alicl'stand out;

from the rest. The bridges are characterized by their particular distinct colors, all bridges being designated by the same one color. It follows also that the sector 11 disposed in alignment with the adjacent playing areas are of the same color. For instance, the playing field at the bottom of the board on the sheet will be blue and the corresponding sector will be blue, the playing pieces of the area also being blue. The safety blocks may, if desired, be purple or the like, being bridges of orange and the starting areas of red, green and yellow respectively.

In conjunction with the game, four tumblers or cups 14 are used, and a .pair of dice 15 is employed in connection with each cup. Thus, there will be four tumblers, a pair of dice for each tumbler, and four different sets of playing pieces. Each set will preferably comprise three playing pieces. With this arrangement, four persons may play the game as partners or individually. Of course, the game may he played by two persons if desired.

In playing the game, each player throws his dice to ascertain who is to be the first to move. In accordance with the rules'of the game, the high man is the winner of this step. Assuming, for instance, that the ,occupant of the blue field at the bottom is the beginner, it will be seen that he will take one of his pieces from the starting area and place it upon the station 4. He will then throw the dice. No moves can be made ona throw, which does not count more than six. Assuming for instance, that on this throw, a combination of six and three was made. Obviously, the playing piece would be made in a direction (compulsory) from left to right, three spaces, thus placing the piece upon the space A. If, for any reason, a double number were thrown, that particular player would be allowed to throw again.

For example, suppose one dice showed three and the other one three. This would be considered as a double number. If he had not thrown a double number, then the next player, on the left would throw and so on. Assuming further that the first player had thrown a combination of six and four. That would have placed him upon the safety block B. lVhen occupying this particular place, he could not be jumped by an opponent, and could stay there until compelled to move. \Vith his man on the safety block, thesame player throws a six and a four. He may now move from the safety block B to the first bridge 10, occupying the lower half thereof. Had he thrown a six and a live, he could not stop on this bridge, but would have gone" to the next playing space C. Should ithave been necessary for him to stop upon a black dot, he would be obliged to completely return to the starting area 1. Hence, the block 1 must be avoided. The object of the play is to pass from the outermost annular path lnwardly to the adjacent path, by means of the bridges until each path has been completely or partially traversed as the case may be and the goal is reached. Considerable dexterity, forethought and skill will be required, in obtaining the point of advantage.

It is to be further understood that in the event that the first player was unsuccessful in obtaining comparatively long move, he could be overtaken by one of his opponents, and if he should be occupying one Of the circular spaces within the path of movement of his movement of his opponent, he could jumped and would have to be returned to the starting area. Furthermore, it is within the rules of the game to simultaneously move anyone of the threeplaying pieces or to simply move one playing piece the distance allotted by the throwing of the dice. To explain more clearly, suppose there should be a playing piece of one player next to a bridge. This would only require one step to get onto the bridge, and if that particular playing piece were moved three spaces, as called for by the dice, that advantageous point would be lost. By exercising judgment, however, the player might move one of his other two playing pieces to advantage,- and at the same time occupy the bridge with the person playing it. After a single play ing piece has travelled all of the paths and has reached the proper sector 11, determined by the particular color, it may be moved from this sector into the ring, forming the goal, upon a throw calling for a single move; If that particular sector happened to be 00- cupied by an opponents playing piece at the time of entry, the opponents playing piece would be captured, but returned to that opponent to start over again. It may be added further that every time a playing piece is captured, the successful player is allowed to move fifteen additional spaces, and in this connection every circle, stud, and safety block is considered as a space.

A careful consideration of the description in connection with the drawings will suflice to enable persons familiar with games of this type'to obtain a clear understanding of the same. Therefore, a more lengthy description is thought unnecessary.

lVhile the preferred embodiment of the invention has been specifically described and shown, it is to be understood that minor changes coming within the field of inven tion claimed, may be resorted to, if desired.

1 claim:

1.111 a game of the class described, a playing board having its surface designed to provide a central isolated goal surrounded in spaced relation by individual starting; flll$ adapted for reception of playing pieces, a plurality of endless paths adapted to be traversed by said playing pieces, said paths being located between the starting fields and said goal and being sepaated from each other, and bridges joining adjacent paths for permitting aplaying piece to be legitimately moved from an outer to an inner path.

2. In a game of the class described, a plurality of individual starting fields, a goal isolated from said field, a plurality of annular paths located between the playing fields and said goal, each path being made up of interconnected spaces determining the distances to be moved by the playing pieces, each path being of annular endless form and being space-d concentrically from the adjacent paths, and bridges located at predetermined circuinferentially spaced points and supporting a means for permitting the playing pieces to be legitimately inoved 1nwardly from one side to the next ad acent side.

3. In a game of the class described, a

central goal, circumferentially spaced sectors surrounding said goal in spaced relation from the goal and spaced from each other, a plurality of separate and independent starting fields spaced from said sections and providing an annular hand between themselves and said sectors, and concentric radially spaced paths located in said band and connected together in pairs by circumferentially spaced bridges, each part embodying circumferentially spaced safety blocks and danger stops.

' Intestimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOAQUIN R. TORNES. 

